Internal combustion engines currently in use which operate in response to the combustion of fuel in one or more cylinders are relatively inefficient inasmuch as the major portion of heat generated by the combustion of the fuel is released to atmosphere without otherwise being utilized. The loss of such heat is undesirable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the necessity of having to rely on the combustion of large quantities of fuel to ensure appropriate operation of the engine. The prior art contains many proposals for improving engine efficiency and conservation of fuel, but a good many of such proposals have not been adopted in the manufacture and use of internal combustion engines.
A principal object of this invention is to provide an internal combustion engine and method of operating such engine which overcome or greatly minimize the inefficiencies of such engines heretofore in use.